Hello and Bonjour :) fellow IWC aficionados!
First things first...if the legendary Nadzilla is lurking around, consider this a big wave from your old Montreal buddy... Yes, the one who still thinks titanium is a personality trait.
Sorry for the long intro, but after 25+ years of horological obsession, I figured I’d better make this count. I’m thrilled to join a community where watch nerds like us can geek out without judgment, snobbery, or someone asking, “But does it have Bluetooth?” (Spoiler: No. And that’s why we love it.)
I first stumbled onto this forum back in the early ’90s a golden era when Timezone’s IWC section was alive and kicking. It was a place where true enthusiasts shared their passion, not their wrist selfies with avocado toast...
My love affair with IWC started with the iconic GST line. Swiss precision meets German design flair? Yes, please. About the year 2002, I treated myself to an IWC GST Alarm in titanium (Ref. 3537), powered by the JLC-modified Memovox calibre 916 if memory serves me right. Sold it a couple of years later… and regretted it ever since. A couple of years ago i also purchased from Japan the iconic Aquatimer, SS ref:3548 on rubber as well, which also slipped through my fingers...
Fast-forward to a few months ago: I stumbled upon an IWC GST Split-Second Chronograph Ref. 3715 with that creamy white dial. It had just been overhauled at IWC Texas and looked like it had spent the last decade in a spa. Knowing this piece retailed around $10k back in the early 2000s, I didn’t hesitate pulled the trigger faster than the rattrapante hand splits time.
When it landed on my wrist last week, relief washed over me. Yes, it’s a thick watch, but those lugs and that bracelet? Pure ergonomic poetry. The white dial screams summer vibes, with rhodium markers sparkling like they just got back from a diamond convention. And let’s not forget the subtle red accents and that cheeky blue split-second hand because even serious watches need a little Easter egg fun.
Specs? 43 mm, 16.9 mm thick, and a presence that says, “I lift… Valjoux 7750s.” The GST bracelet deserves its own fan club: comfortable, beautifully finished, and with perlage on the clasp that whispers, “This was IWC at its peak.” Honestly, the fit and finish rival AP and Patek minus the price tag that requires selling a kidney.
Yes, it’s based on the Valjoux 7750, but the split-second complication in a sports watch? That’s like putting a turbocharger in a family sedan unexpected and glorious. Hint hint i am an Audi fan as well with a minty 2005 TT VR6 3.2 Convertible MK1. So this watch is staying put. No more regrets. No more therapy sessions.
Wishing everyone here a happy holiday season, a Merry Christmas, and a New Year filled with health, happiness, and maybe a few more rattrapantes.
Your fellow geek from Montreal,
George
